Nuclear Physics 1929 1952

``Nuclear Physics'' deals with Bohr's work on nuclear physics which began in the pre-1932 days with his thinking deeply, but inconclusively about the seeming contradictions then presented by the evidence about the nucleus. In 1936, Bohr recognised and described the insights provided by neutron scattering experiments; the excitement of this new understanding and its extension and consolidation occupied much of the subsequent years. In 1939, he was again first in understanding the essential features of the newly discovered phenomenon of fission, applying successfully the point of view of nuclear reactions which he had developed over the past three years. Later, in 1949-50, he was impressed by the success of the nuclear shell model, which on the face of it seemed hard to reconcile with the picture of the closely interacting nucleons which he had pioneered in 1936. Bohr put much effort into clarifying this paradox.

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This book covers the first 35 years of nuclear physics, especially in the areas of radioactivity and radioactive emissions which were the main discoveries in nuclear physics during its first three decades. It follows the nuclear phenomena step by step, paying special attention to outstanding discoveries, such as Curie's discovery of radium, Rutherford-Soddy law, discovery of isotopes, and Rutherford's artificial transmutations. The author aims to present in a critical approach the growth of nuclear physics as seen by a nuclear physicist and historian.